


Splinters

by darkin520



Category: And Now The Screaming Starts! (1973), Bad Girls, Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), Dynasty (TV), The Nightcomers (1971), seaQuest
Genre: Angst, Drama, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 17:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6432850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkin520/pseuds/darkin520
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the WA locked in a room challenge, Kristin finds herself trapped in more ways than one and needs to figure a way out before she loses everything she holds dear. This is a multi-fandom crossover: seaQuest, post-season 1; Bad Girls, series 8 AU; The Nightcomers; Dynasty, post-season 9; And Now The Screaming Starts!; The Nightcomers; Dracula A.D. 1972. One-shot. *COMPLETE*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Splinters

**Author's Note:**

> This piece is written for the 'Locked in a room' challenge at Writers Anonymous. It's a little experimental, but if you're game, hopefully you enjoy it.
> 
> It should be noted that you do not necessarily need to know all these fandoms to understand the story, though.
> 
> A bit of setup for the story is that this is set between seasons one and two on the seaQuest side. On the Bad Girls side, it will be set in series 8. For the other fandoms, it would be set after the end of canon. Hopefully, the rest should be self-explanatory.
> 
> We're going with slightly AU on the Bad Girls side, because of the time period, so I'm asking you to pretend that the days of Larkhall Prison happened a bit further into the future than its actual canon.
> 
> For the other fandoms, the story can actually be canon, believe it or not, since it won't alter canon in any way. Yes, even though this story is set long after the other fandoms ended, there is a perfectly logical explanation as to how all these characters can be in 2019 together, even though some have died. Please bear with me, and you'll understand by the story's end.

**2019**

Dr. Kristin Westphalen sighed heavily as she started her day at The New Cape Quest Mental Health Institution. It wasn't her ideal job, but since the _seaQuest_ had been destroyed six months prior, she had little choice. The mental hospital hadn't been her first choice, obviously. She was a medical doctor with fellowships in oceanography, biochemistry, and marine biology, so she didn't exactly have the sort of résumé fit for working in such a place.

However, the _seaQuest's_ destruction put over one hundred scientists and medical professionals out of work, and when the UEO decided to move its headquarters from Pearl Harbor to New Cape Quest, the jobs were snatched up fast. Kristin had also dragged her feet a little...mainly because she wasn't quite sure where she was going at first. She had a few options to consider: go back to England to teach at her research university until something better came along, find other work in Pearl Harbor, or follow the UEO to their new location.

Seeing as she wasn't military, her first instinct had been to take the first option. However, Nathan had pulled her aside and asked her to reconsider. They'd finally taken that leap and confessed their feelings for one another, and he had said he didn't want to lose her. Seeing as her feelings were mutual, she'd followed him.

Once in New Cape Quest, though, she'd found herself jobless, and both the UEO labs and the hospital were packed to the brim with staff. Secretary General Noyce had tried pulling strings, and he was able to get her on a waiting list...but she had no idea how long that list was. It hadn't been until Nathan introduced her to Admiral Lexington Smith and her daughter, Dr. Wendell 'Wendy' Smith, at a UEO function that things fell into place.

Dr. Smith was one of the psychologists at the mental hospital, and she'd told her they were in need of more medical doctors. Not having too many other options, Kristin had jumped at the chance. She'd told herself it was only temporary...because as soon as the second _seaQuest_ was built, she'd continue her work there. Unfortunately, that was a long way off, since Nathan was still dealing with the inquest and lobbying for funds to build the new submarine.

Certainly, she loved her profession, but working in a place like this? Well, it was difficult to see patients in such distress. Many of the injuries she saw were self-inflicted, and she often needed assistance from the other staff members just to conduct a simple examination. Today, however, she was lucky. She had been assigned the north wing infirmary: five patients, which she knew would be easy. The north wing usually housed the patients dealing with less-severe mental issues. The others tended to have the more difficult ones. She was thankful she hadn't been assigned to any of those today.

She took a sip of coffee from her mug and opened the first patient file folder at the top of the stack. "Phyllida Oswyn," she muttered aloud. She hadn't yet had the pleasure of meeting her, but Wendy had been kind enough to leave her a few notes. _"Watch out for this one. She'll try to pull the wool over your eyes. She's not as_ _ **sick**_ _as she lets on."_

Kristin shook her head, not quite sure what it meant. However, she then noticed Phyllida was only here temporarily; she was on a transfer from Larkhall Prison under the care of Dr. Rowan Dunlop. Dr. Dunlop had sent a few notes of his own. _"Phyllida Osywn began presenting symptoms of paranoia brought on by the depression of being shot. I feel it's best that she have her recovery in a private clinic until she's well enough to return to Larkhall."_

Kristin clicked her tongue. Although it didn't sound like Phyllida had severe mental illness, she'd have to make sure she was on high alert. She closed Oswyn's file and moved to the next one, but Kristin had barely begun reading the name when there was a knock at her door. She looked up to see Kevin, one of the guards.

"Good morning, Doc. Are you all set?"

She nodded, gathering the files up in her arms. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He gave a wave of his hand, motioning towards the hallway. "After you, then."

The protocol at the hospital was that the staff members were always escorted by guards for safety. Once they'd reached the north wing infirmary, Kevin unlocked the door and escorted her inside.

"This is where I leave you then," he told her. "But I'll be right outside if you need anything."

She gave him a nod. "Thank you, Kevin."

He gave a wave and walked back out, the door shutting behind him with a loud click.

Kristin shuddered slightly as she heard the unmistakable sound of the lock following after him. That was one thing she wasn't quite used to yet: being locked in. She understood it was necessary in an institution such as this, but that didn't mean it was any easier to deal with. However, she tried to push her discomfort aside and turned to the patients, all women.

She set the files down, save for Oswyn's,on the table at the front of the room and then walked towards the brunette woman lying on the first bed, offered her a warm smile, and held out her hand in greeting. "Phyllida Oswyn? I'm Dr. Kristin Westphalen. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello," the older woman replied warily in a British accent. "Call me Phyl." She eyed her carefully. "I haven't seen you here before. You must be new. So did that young little thing get sick of me already? Passed me on to the newbie, did she?"

Kristin smiled softly. "I'm not as new as you might think, but I will say it's nice to meet a fellow Brit. How long have you been here?"

"In this pig sty or in the States?"

"I meant the hospital. How did you manage ending up here? Larkhall isn't an American institution, is it?"

She shook her head. "Dr. Dunlop wanted to ensure I'd be taken as far away from the prison environment as possible...and he happens to know Dr. Smith, so I suppose he thought it was a perfect match. _I_ say it's just a way to keep Bev and me separated, though."

"Bev?"

"My best friend and the only one who keeps me sane in that sodding place!" She grabbed Kristin by the arm, leaned in close, and lowered her voice. "They...they planned this, I tell you," she said in a shaky voice, almost near tears. "The screws, the doctors, _everyone_. They set me up. Had me shot, had Bev and me separated... No wonder I'm cracking up. They're pumping me with poisons. I'm going to die in here, and they're going to throw me in the slops bucket when they're through with me." She let out a pained sob. "Please, you _have_ to help me. Don't let me die."

Kristin's jaw fell open as she stared at the older woman for several seconds before shaking her head. "I promise you I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen, but according to your file, everything seems to be all right. I don't see any mention of poison, and it says here you were shot by mistake during a prison emergency." She put a finger to her chin. "Now that I think of it, I remember hearing about you." She snapped her fingers. "Phyllida Oswyn...of course. One half of the _Costa Cons_ ; you and your _friend_ scammed scores of poor people out of their hard-earned money...that is, of course, until you were caught."

Phyl suddenly pulled back, her hands up in defense as she trembled in fear. "They...they've gotten to you, too. You're one of them. You're trying to snuff me out," she said with a dramatic cry. "P-please, don't hurt me!"

Kristin had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "Did I mention I have no expertise in psychology...or psychiatry, for that matter? I'm just a medical doctor, and while I have to commend you on your performance, if you insist on carrying on with this charade, I can easily have you transferred. Perhaps the south wing has room for you?"

Phyl sighed, quickly calming down. "Well, it was a long-shot. I didn't think you'd really buy my paranoia, but I had to try. The truth is I just wanted some time to relax...some time away. You have no idea what it's like on the inside."

"Well, you're right about that; I'm sure I don't, but I _obey_ the law, so I don't need to worry." She shrugged. "Does Dr. Dunlop know?"

Phyl smiled. "It was his idea; let's just say he and I have a little _business_ arrangement. He organized it so I could come here as long as I keep my yap shut about some of his _other_ business dealings. Oh, but you don't know anything about that, do you?"

"Anything about what?" she asked with a wink.

"Smart girl," she muttered. "Of course, Dunlop got one over on me in the end. He failed to mention I'd be shipped off halfway around the world where Bev wouldn't even be able to visit me. I never thought I'd say this, but I can't _wait_ until I get back to Larkhall...just to see her."

Kristin sighed. "Well, I'll do my best to make sure you're in and out of here as soon as possible. Now, how about we start over? How long have you been in New Cape Quest?"

"A few days? A week?" She shrugged. "The days run together in here."

"Of course." She stood and opened her file again. "Um, well, according to your file, you've been here three days. And it seems you've suffered an unfortunate injury?"

The older woman nodded. "It's a rather long story, so I'll spare you the details. Let's just say I was a hair's breadth away from death, and I've been suffering terribly because of it."

"So I've read in your file," Kristin said, giving her a pat on the hand. "Well, let's have a look, shall we?" She helped her lift up her shirt, carefully removed the bandage, and examined the gunshot wound on the far right of the woman's abdomen with her gloved hands. "Ah, just what we like to see; nice and clean. No signs of infection, and it appears to be healing very-"

Phyl winced in pain. "Yes, I'm glad to hear that, but the poking and prodding is unbearable. Are you quite finished yet?"

Kristin pulled her hands away and replaced the bandage. "Sorry," she muttered. "How are you feeling?"

"Constipated."

Kristin laughed softly. "Well, we'll get you something for the pain." She removed her gloves and threw them in the trash bin. "You're very lucky. Had the bullet been an inch to the right, you may very well not be here now."

"Yes, Dunlop already mentioned that. And I'd told him, he's lucky I'm not a squaddie. I'd have been given the bloody Victoria Cross then, but instead, because of who I really am, I'm stuck _where_ I am."

"Oh, _please_ , are you going to start that again?" a voice said from the bed on the other side of the room. Kristin turned to see a pretty, young blonde woman. "That's all I've heard for the last three days...how horrible your accident was, how you nearly died." She shook her head. "You're not the only one who's had her fair share of problems."

Kristin moved to approach her bed. "Excuse me, Miss...?"

"Jessel," she replied, holding out her hand. "Margaret. And before you look at my file, I do not need an examination. I simply want my medication and nothing more, thank you."

Kristin eyed her carefully. There were dark red marks around her neck. She'd seen those sort of marks on a few other patients here: rope burns. She bit her bottom lip. Perhaps some of these women were more disturbed than she'd originally thought. She carefully sat down. "Margaret, why? Why would you want to harm yourself?"

The younger woman let out an unladylike snort. "Am I not allowed some privacy? Since you're only a medical doctor, I needn't tell you anything."

"But-"

A hand on her shoulder cut her off, and Kristin turned to see a woman near her age. One could easily tell she'd been strikingly beautiful at one time, but there was a deep sadness in her brown eyes and dark circles beneath them. "Not self-inflicted," she whispered. "Her boyfriend. Apparently, they were into a bit of S&M, but there was some sort of tragic accident... She's done nothing but cry about him since she first arrived here five days ago."

"Oh, I see," Kristin replied quietly. "And you are?"

The woman held out a well-manicured hand. "Sable Colby...and for the record, I don't need an examination either. My only ailment is severe depression, which I'd rather not discuss."

"And horrible taste in men," Phyl added.

"You should talk. How many divorces have you had?" Sable shot back.

"At least none of them ran off with _my_ sister."

Sable lunged for Phyl, but Kristin held her back. "Ladies, _please_. Can't we just agree you've both had hardships and call it a wash? Really, in a place like this, is it worth arguing about who has more problems than the other?"

Sable stopped fighting and straightened out her gown. "You're absolutely right, Doctor. I'm sorry. Well, as I said, I don't need an examination. Like my friend, Margaret, all I need is medication." As she made her way back to her bed, however, she shot Phyl a glare and stuck out her tongue, to which Phyl responded in kind.

Kristin pinched the bridge of her nose. Though these women weren't quite as ill as other patients she'd seen here, they were certainly wearing on her nerves. She glanced towards the beds on the other side of the room where two more younger women were. They'd been rather quiet up until now, so perhaps they weren't as stubborn as Phyl and Sable.

She tentatively walked towards the first bed, where a young, blonde woman sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. "Hello, my dear. And what's your name?"

Only she didn't even acknowledge Kristin's presence at all, her eyes looking straight ahead at the wall. Kristin walked to the table where she'd set the files down and located hers. _Catherine Fengriffen, suffering from severe postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,_ the notes said _._

"Like, I can give you the skinny on her," the other young woman on the bed next to Catherine said. "She experienced something super heavy. I'm not sure what, but she doesn't talk. Never has...at least not to me. Whatever happened to her is totally bogus, you know?"

Kristin nodded. "Apparently so. And you-"

"Jessica Van Helsing," she replied. "And before you ask...I went a bit bananas for a time. A group of friends and me... Well, we were messing with things we shouldn't have... Spooks, black magic, hobgoblins, all that jazz. We were a bunch of airheads." She shook her head and took a deep breath. "I'm almost afraid you wouldn't believe me if I told you..."

As she trailed off, Sable was at Kristin's side again, whispering in her ear, "The poor dear _sees_ things. Thinks Count Dracula tried to kill her."

"Like, I'm not deaf, you know," Jessica said, glaring at Sable. "You need to mind your own potatoes, man. I didn't imagine it. It _happened_."

Sable patted her shoulder. "Of course it did, dear. Whatever you say."

Jessica groaned. "I'm not an idiot, you know. You're such a P.O.W."

"Can you say that in English, please?" Sable asked with a shake of her head.

Jessica crossed her arms. "It means piece of work. In other words, you're a rude bi-"

"That's enough!" Kristin said, putting her hands up. "Look, we all don't have to like each other, but we do need to be _civil_ to one another. One more outburst from any of you, I'll have to take harsher measures. I really don't want to do that, so can we _please_ just cooperate?"

Phyl was the first to speak up. "You'll have no problems from me. I can't say the same about little miss _busybody_ , though." She nodded her head towards Sable.

Sable rolled her eyes. "Not that I'm not used to being treated this way from _family_ , I do think I deserve more respect from strangers."

"Ha!" Phyl cried. "We're hardly strangers. Just because I haven't known you long doesn't mean I don't know how you work. Even the poor, mute girl could see it."

"Like, I tried to tell you, man," Jessica said. "P.O.W. all the way."

"Enough!" Kristin cried once again. Unfortunately, save for Margaret, who held her ears, none of the other women made any attempt to stop arguing. It was time to call in reserves; she moved to the wall and hit a button. "Kevin? I'm going to need some backup in here."

Meanwhile, Phyl and Sable continued to hurl insults at one another.

Sable crossed her arms. "At least I've never been in prison."

Phyl laughed. "As if you pointing out that minor detail really offends me. It's just a temporary setback. In a few years, Larkhall will be a distant memory. But it's not quite the same thing for you, is it? No matter where you are, you'll never be able to run from your past. You'll always see Dex's lifeless body on the floor of the Carlton Hotel. And then there's the poor baby you gave up. That will haunt you forever, won't it, dear?"

"Go to hell!" Sable spat, lunging for her again, but Jessica held her back.

"Kevin, can you hear me?" Kristin asked, her voice frantic. "Please?" She chewed nervously on her bottom lip when she suddenly realized the room had gotten quiet. She turned back to the others.

"You mean we're all locked in here together?" Phyl said flatly. "Wonderful."

"I...I'm sure it's only temporary," Kristin replied. "There...there must have been some sort of emergency. I'm sure Kevin will be back shortly." She sighed. "Of course, if you're all quite finished, we won't need him."

Sable raised an eyebrow. "I can't help but notice you didn't bring any _supplies_ with you, though."

"She means medication," Phyl said. "You'll still need to contact him for that."

Kristin nodded. "Well, I'm sure he'll be right back..."

"And if not? What then?" Sable asked.

"We break out," Phyl said.

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"What?" she asked innocently. "Well, it's not as though I'm an expert in picking locks. Contrary to what you might think, that's not a skill one easily learns behind bars..." She carefully stood and limped towards the door, examining the box on the wall next to it. "This security system is quite complex, but it's not completely impossible. We could do it if we set our minds to it." She turned back to the group. "So what do you say?"

Kristin placed a finger to her chin. As much as she hated to admit it, Phyl had a point. She had no idea what happened to Kevin, but if he was called away to an emergency, he might not be back for hours. Though these women weren't the most unstable patients she'd seen in her time here, she didn't want to be locked in a room with them any longer than necessary. "We give Kevin half an hour longer; if he's not back by then, we try to break out."

_-sɹǝʇuᴉlds-_

Nathan Bridger frowned as he started up the walkway of the mental health institution. He hated visiting day...not because he didn't want to see Kristin but because it did nothing but tear his heart to pieces each time he saw her. When he entered the lobby, he was greeted with an embrace from Cynthia. He hugged her tightly in return, knowing she needed the support.

"Just you today?" she asked in a shaky voice.

He nodded. "It's still difficult for Lucas to accept... He wants to remember her the way she was, I think." He sighed. "Have you seen her yet?"

"Not yet, but I've spoken with Dr. Smith." Cynthia's voice trembled as she struggled to fight back tears. "The...the news isn't very good." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "She...she's created two more personalities."

Nathan pulled her into his arms as she suddenly lost control over her emotions, a quiet sob escaping her throat. He whispered to her in gentle tones in an attempt to comfort her, but the truth was, he was equally disturbed by the news.

It had been six months since they'd lost the _seaQuest_ , and while losing her had been a blow to the crew and the UEO alike, they'd had a plan in action: rebuild and begin anew. Though it was a minor setback, he didn't mind it. It was his opportunity to improve on the original model, even if he didn't enjoy the arduous process of lobbying for funds. Still, he had Kristin and Lucas with him, and he couldn't have asked for anything more. Never in a million years had he imagined that any of them would become unwell... _especially_ Kristin.

She'd been one of the most stable people he'd known, so it had been an absolute shock when they'd been in New Cape Quest for less than a month when she started displaying odd behaviors. It had all started with mood swings. Seeing that Kristin was a middle-aged woman, his first thought had been menopause. However, once _Catherine_ had shown up, it was apparent this was far more serious than any hormonal imbalance.

The first few times it had happened, it had been short-lived. The episodes wouldn't last any longer than five minutes or so, but when Kristin began insisting she was Catherine more and more, Nathan couldn't keep ignoring the problem. Telling Cynthia hadn't been easy, but it was necessary.

Cynthia hadn't taken the news well. Her mother had always been independent; she hadn't considered she'd need to take care of her...at least until she'd entered old age. Still, Cynthia had made a difficult decision, giving up helping refugee children and moving to New Cape Quest. Unfortunately, the move didn't seem to help Kristin, since not too long after Catherine came Sable and Jessica soon followed.

Nathan sighed, since he couldn't help but wonder _why._ Losing the _seaQuest_ had been difficult for everyone involved, but he certainly didn't think it was enough to drive anyone to madness. Certainly, there'd been a bit of trauma, and everyone was forced to deal with it in their own way. When the turbines from Dr. Wolenczak's World Power Plant caused the ocean floor to crack and lava came spilling out, the world went into a state of emergency. Though he initially hadn't been sure how he was to solve it, Nathan had known it was up to him.

He'd also known Kristin hadn't wanted to be separated from him either. Though his timing might have been a little off, he'd finally confessed his love for her, and she'd admitted the same for him. Had he died that day, he might have understood the fragile mental health. But this way? He shook his head; somehow, they'd gotten through it. The world hadn't been destroyed. Everything was okay now, so he didn't know why, because it was clear that Kristin _wasn't_ okay. Surely, she'd had worse traumas in her past and never felt the need to create other personalities.

It had been Cynthia's call to get her mother professional help, and at first, they'd tried therapy and medication. That seemed to work for a little while, but its effects didn't last long. After a three-month battle, Cynthia had to make an even more difficult decision: admitting her mother to the mental health institution. Dr. Wendy Smith was an excellent doctor, and she believed that with time, Kristin would make a full recovery.

Unfortunately, no one knew how much time she'd need. Still, both Nathan and Cynthia visited her as often as they could. Occasionally, Lucas and a few of the other crew members would come, but mostly, it was just the two of them. Seeing the once-brilliant doctor be reduced to the madwoman she was now hadn't been easy to stomach.

While madwoman might have been a harsh assessment, it was true. Nathan couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the _real_ Kristin. It was always Sable or Jessica. Catherine didn't speak much anymore, but Sable or Jessica would always assure them she still existed. Each visit was always a surprise, for they never knew _who_ they'd be visiting. Each time, though, Nathan hoped he'd see the real Kristin. He'd missed her so much.

After Cynthia had calmed down, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes and muttering a, "Thank you." She cleared her throat. "Um, should we go in?"

He nodded. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.

_-sɹǝʇuᴉlds-_

It wasn't long before the door finally opened, and Kristin smiled, turning back to the group. "I told you-" She stopped short when she realized she was alone. She tried to run a hand through her hair when she realized she couldn't. She looked down in horror to see her arms bound around her in a straitjacket. Her eyes snapped back up to Kevin in desperation. "What...what's going on?" Her voice sounded so frightened and small, it didn't even seem like her own.

He held his hands up in defense. "I'm not going to hurt you, Catherine. It's visiting day. Just remain calm and-"

_Catherine? Visiting day?_ Kristin shook her head. "My name's not Catherine. It's-"

"Sable? Jessica?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Kristin." She struggled against the straitjacket...until she figured out what must have happened. The others must have knocked her out, tied her up, and broken out. She had no recollection of it, but it was the only thing that made sense. "Did...did the others escape?"

"Others?"

"Of course. The five female patients that were in here." She paused, eyeing him carefully. "Are you feeling all right? Get me out of this thing, and I'll see about giving you an examination."

"An examination?"

She sighed impatiently. "I am a doctor, aren't I?"

"Oh, yes, of course. You're a _doctor_ ," he said with a nod. "Well, _Doctor_ , the other ladies...they had to step out. Dr. Smith came in and moved them to a new room. She gave you the rest of the day off," Kevin explained, giving her a pat on the shoulder.

A brow rose. "The day off?" She tried to motion with her hands when she realized her arms were still bound. She struggled against the offending garment. "Can I _please_ have some help?"

Kevin took her arm. "Soon, I promise, but first, you have visitors." He gently pulled her out the door and into another room.

When she was led through the door, a smile graced her face when she saw Nathan and Cynthia. For a moment, she'd been beginning to think she was wrapped up in some sort of nightmare, but when she saw them, she knew everything was all right. Kevin pulled out a chair and helped her sit down. She expected him to undo the straitjacket, but he didn't. Instead, he whispered something to Nathan and Cynthia she couldn't make out and then left the room, closing the door behind him. She jumped slightly when she heard the lock follow.

As she turned to Nathan and Cynthia, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Something still seemed off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. However, upon seeing the looks of concern on their faces, she offered them a smile. "I'm glad to see you two. This has been an extremely strange day. One minute, I was in the infirmary, taking care of a group of patients, and the next, I wound up like this." She nodded her head towards her arms. "Will one of you please undo me so we can go home? Apparently, I've been given the rest of the day off."

Nathan and Cynthia exchanged a worried glance. Kristin didn't miss the fact her daughter's eyes welled up with tears and suddenly turned away, shaking her head.

Nathan moved around to where she was sitting, placing his hands on her shoulders. "We can't do that, Kris," he said quietly.

Her jaw dropped open. If it hadn't been for Cynthia's tears, she might have thought he was playing some sort of joke, but as she glanced towards her daughter again, she only cried a little harder. "Why...why not?"

"Be...because you're not...you're not well, Kris," he told her, his voice thick with emotion. "You haven't been well for a while..."

Kristin listened in distress as Nathan told her the truth: that she wasn't a doctor here but rather a patient...and Catherine, Phyl, Sable, Jessica, and Margaret weren't real at all. They were other personalities she'd created for whatever reason. _To deal with trauma,_ Nathan said.

When he'd finished, she looked at him, her own tears blurring her vision. She thought for sure this had to be some sort of joke, but the looks on both their faces were so serious, so somber.

"Do you understand, Kristin?" Nathan asked quietly.

"I..." She shook her head. "Of course I don't. It...it can't be true. I would never... You know me. I'm not...I'm not crazy."

Cynthia put her hand on her mother's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "No, of course you're not. You've just..."

"Had a minor setback," Nathan finished for her. "But crazy isn't the word to describe you. No one thinks that."

Her brow furrowed in disbelief. "This has to be a dream...or a nightmare."

Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder. "I wish it were, Kris. God, you have no idea how I wish it were."

Part of her wanted to scream at him, but then she knew for a fact he'd never lie to her...and neither would her daughter. They'd never play such a cruel trick on her. She had little choice but to accept what he'd said, much as it pained her. "So what happens now? What do I do?"

Cynthia moved to place a hand on her mother's cheek. "You need to fight. You've always been a fighter, Mom. You'll get through this."

"She's right, Kris. The doctor said... They believe you'll get through this just fine. You just need time..."

"But...but they're gone now," Kristin protested. "See? I'm _me_. I'm better. I...I won't let them come back. I want to go home. I don't want to stay here anymore. Please? You have to believe me. I'm fine now."

Nathan brushed the stray tears from her cheeks with his hands. "I know, sweetheart, I know...and we _do_. We can see you're Kristin now. But in a few hours..."

She shook her head. "No! I promise I won't..." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I won't change. I won't let them come out!"

Cynthia put her arms around her mother. "I know this is difficult for you to understand, and I promise, if in a few days, the doctor says you're really all better, then-"

"No, please, don't leave me here," Kristin said, her tears flowing freely now. "I don't... I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be with you...with my family. It's where I belong."

"We know that better than anyone," Nathan replied. "But you just need to give it some time. In a few days, we'll see..."

"Nathan, please, you're not-"

Suddenly, the door opened, and Kevin stepped back through the door. "Sorry, but time's up for the day."

Cynthia and Nathan gave him a nod before turning back to Kristin.

"I promise we'll be back in a few days," Nathan told her, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

Cynthia kissed her cheek. "Just focus on getting better, and you'll be home before you know it."

Kristin shut her eyes. This couldn't be happening. This had to have been some sort of nightmare. She shook her head. _Wake up!_ she told herself. _This is wrong. I shouldn't be here. You have to wake up!_

Still, Cynthia and Nathan continued to walk out the door.

_Damn it, wake up!_ No matter how hard she tried, however, her conscious mind didn't seem to hear her. "No, please, don't leave me!" she tried, hoping one last effort might make a difference.

Though Nathan cast her a sympathetic glance, the door shut behind him, and he was gone. Kristin slumped forward in her chair, sobs wracking her small frame. Whether this was a dream or reality, she knew she had to find a way out...and fast.

_-sɹǝʇuᴉlds-_

Once she was back in her room, Kristin continued to wallow in self-pity. The news had been devastating. She'd always prided herself in having good mental health. _And now look at me,_ she thought bitterly. _How could I have lost my grip on reality? How the hell could I have let this happen?_

She didn't have an answer, but for the moment, she was thankful. She was alone, so that meant she shouldn't be answering herself. Still, she didn't understand how the loss of the _seaQuest_ and everything that had happened during the World Power Plant disaster to have caused such damage to her mental health. Had she really been that fragile?

She shrugged, obviously at a loss. Really, she couldn't analyze it now. Apparently, her mental health had been more fragile than she had previously estimated or she wouldn't be in this mess now. Instead, she made a vow. "You need to _focus_ on a way out."

And the only way to get out was to get better. Well, she was off to a good start, seeing as she was Kristin now. She looked around the room and breathed a sigh of relief upon confirming no one else was there. But how long would it last? How could she possibly make sure the others stayed away...and stayed away for good? How could she-

"So you've finally figured it all out, have you?"

Kristin turned to see Phyl, letting out a groan. "You're not helping my situation any. You...you shouldn't be here."

Phyl laughed softly. "Tell that to that pretty little head of yours. I'm only here because you've conjured me up. And so are the others."

Before her eyes, Kristin saw them appear again. She turned back to Phyl, her brow furrowing in question. "So you knew the truth this whole time?"

She nodded quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me what was really going on then?"

"Would you have believed me?" the older woman asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Probably not," Kristin said with a sigh, nodding her head towards the others. "Do...do you know why?"

"Why what, dear?" Sable cut in.

"Why I did it," she replied, giving a shake of her head. "It just... It doesn't make sense. I'm not..."

"Crazy, man?" Jessica finished for her.

"Well...yes. I honestly don't understand it. Obviously, I know how these disorders work, but I don't understand why _I_ would do such a thing."

"Well, we all do things we never thought we would," Phyl pointed out. "I certainly never dreamed I'd wind up in prison when I was a little girl...that was until I met Bev, and I'm sure Margaret never thought she'd get into the dark, seedy world of S&M until she met Peter Quint." She paused. "I really have to commend you on the colorful backgrounds. You've put a lot of thought into our creation."

"I'll thank you for the compliment, but I wasn't even trying." She sighed. "Well, obviously, I needed you all with me for whatever reason, but I feel like I don't need you anymore. Or I don't _want_ to need you." She ran a hand through her hair. "You all do realize that, don't you?"

Everyone nodded, save for Catherine, who continued to stare off into the distance. Kristin tentatively approached her, but the woman didn't notice she was there. "Does she ever speak?"

"She used to," Sable replied, "but she stopped a long time ago."

Kristin brushed a stray curl from the younger woman's forehead, the movement not fazing her in the least. "Then why does she still come here? If she never speaks, what's the point?"

"That is not something we can answer for you," Margaret replied. "Surely, you already know the reason."

Phyl nodded. "Though I might suggest she's here because you're having trouble letting go."

"But...I have to let go. If we want to get out of that locked door, I _need_ to let go. I...I have to get better." She chewed on her bottom lip in thought. "But what happens to all of you when I do?"

"You're not suggesting you're attached to us now, are you?" Margaret asked.

"Well, you're essentially a part of me, even if I don't really remember your arrival. I...I'm a doctor. I certainly don't want to hurt anyone."

"I don't think the Hippocratic Oath applies to us, darling," Sable said quietly. "I suppose in the end, we'll go back from where we came."

"Back inside my head?" Kristin replied, feeling a bit uneasy about the thought. "But how do I ensure you stay there? I mean, I can't have you coming out again... That's what got me into this mess in the first place."

No one spoke for several minutes until a gentle voice broke through the quiet. "You'll have to keep us inside a dark room in there, lock the door, and never open it again."

It took Kristin a moment to realize it had been Catherine.   She stood staring at her, noticing the fog was gone from Catherine's eyes.  "You..."

She smiled softly. "I know; it's been a long time since..." She shrugged, nodding towards Sable and Jessica. "Well, after these two showed up, you didn't seem to need me anymore. Not to talk anyway. Yet, you kept me around. For some strange reason, you needed me...needed all of us. But now that you've admitted you don't..."

"I'm not doing a very good job of that, though, am I? If I was, we wouldn't even be having this conversation," Kristin said, giving a shake of her head. "It's not helping my case any."

Phyl moved to the door and motioned to the security keypad. "Do you want out of here, dear?"

"Of course, more than anything," Kristin said, her voice unwavering.

"Then you _need_ to give us up," Catherine told her. "You can't unlock _that_ door until you lock ours."

_-sɹǝʇuᴉlds-_

"I never thought I'd see this day come." Nathan ushered her to the car and kissed her cheek before opening her door. "I'm so proud of you, Kristin."

Cynthia nodded her agreement. "We all are," she said as she slipped into the backseat.

Kristin smiled softly. "Well, it was an uphill battle for awhile, but somehow, I pushed through." She took a deep breath of fresh air...the first one she'd had in six months. She'd done her best to listen to Phyl, Sable, and the others, but it had taken her three months. Several therapy sessions later, the doctor finally deemed her fit to be let back out into the real world...though her struggle was far from over. She was scheduled to see Dr. Smith again in two days to check on her progress.

Nathan slid into the seat next to her and started the engine. "And I'm glad you did. You can't even begin to understand how much you've been missed." He slipped on his seat belt and put the car into gear. "Well, shall we go home?"

"I would love nothing more," she replied, leaning back and sighing happily. She'd locked the door inside her mind, which meant the door to the real world was now wide open. Though she couldn't lie and say she didn't miss the others just a little, she knew they were still with her, even if she didn't hear them anymore.

" _Don't be so sure about that."_

Kristin jumped upon hearing Phyl's voice in her head. She held her ears. "No, not again."

Nathan slammed on the brakes. "Kristin, what's wrong?"

"Mom, are you all right?" Cynthia echoed.

Kristin placed a hand to her chest, taking several deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. Had she really just heard Phyl or had she only imagined it? She waited a few minutes and heard nothing, so she decided it had to be the latter. "Um, sorry," she muttered, feeling her cheeks were warm with embarrassment. "I...I thought... Well, I thought I'd seen a cat run across the road, and I didn't want you to run the poor thing over."

"Oh, is that all?" He turned back to look out the rear window. "I don't think I saw the cat."

"Neither did I," Cynthia replied, looking in the same direction. "But it must have gotten away." She reached out in front of her to squeeze her mother's shoulder. "I'm sure it's fine."

"Right, sorry."

Nathan gave her shoulder a squeeze. "No worries. I promise I'll watch the road for cats." He flashed her a grin and started the car again, heading towards home.

Kristin sighed. So perhaps her new start on freedom was going to be more difficult than she'd originally planned. As long as she stayed in control, everything would be fine. That's what Dr. Smith had said. Still, she felt the need to do a little test. She shut her eyes tightly. _Are you ladies still in there?_ she asked herself.

" _Who, us?"_

Kristin swallowed hard, hearing Phyl's voice again. This couldn't be happening. For three months, she'd managed to keep her mind in check. She'd pushed them all into that dark room inside her head, shut the door, and locked it. She'd made it clear to them they couldn't come out again. They...they'd all seemed to understand it. So why? Why was Phyl being so combative now?

" _You might have locked the door, but you forgot to throw away the key. I had told you I didn't enjoy being locked in prison, after all. But don't worry, dear; I'll be discreet enough so as not to blow your cover. We can learn to coexist, and it will be beautiful..."_


End file.
